IBM Produces First ‘Brain Chips’
IBM has developed a microprocessor which it claims comes closer than ever to replicating the human brain. The system is capable of “rewiring” its connections as it encounters new information, similar to the way biological synapses work. Researchers believe that that by replicating that feature, the technology could start to learn. Cognitive computers may eventually … Read more
Better User Experience With Storytelling
Stories have defined our world. They have been with us since the dawn of communication, from cave walls to the tall tales recounted around fires. They have continued to evolve with their purpose remaining the same; To entertain, to share common experiences, to teach, and to pass on traditions. Today we communicate a bit differently. … Read more
Designing a Persuasive Video Game
I know what you’re probably thinking. Video games may be extremely cool. They may be innovative. They may make tons of money. But they’re ultimately, unavoidably, just entertainment. And persuasion is serious business; if you want to convince people to change their minds or to act differently, games probably aren’t the way to do it… … Read more
Smartphone user study shows mobile movement under way
71% of smartphone users search because of an ad they’ve seen either online or offline; 82% of smartphone users notice mobile ads, 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase as a result of using their smartphones to help with shopping, and 88% of those who look for local information on their smartphones take action within … Read more
Popcode: Markerless Augmented Reality
With “markerless” augmented reality, just about anything can be turned into an interactive game. Researchers at Cambridge University have developed a cool augmented reality app called Popcode. An update to the app recently made it available for iPhone 4 and Android, and the app is being featured at the University of Cambridge Science festival being … Read more
Agile V.S. User Centred Design: Clash of the Titans
Agile software development [1] has become fairly popular in the last few years, leaving many UX professionals wondering how user-centered design (UCD) can fit into an extremely fast-paced development process that uses little documentation. User-centered design can involve a variety of techniques that provide insights into users’ wants, needs, and goals, including ethnography, contextual inquiry, … Read more
Average Social Gamer Is a 43-Year-Old Woman
Rightly or wrongly, many people have a picture in their minds of the average online gamer, and it probably involves someone not yet old enough to vote, huddled in their parents’ basement killing dwarves with mystic powers in games like World of Warcraft. A growing category of what are called “social games,” however, appeals to … Read more
Hologram messaging coming of age
STREAMING HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGES IN NEAR-REALTIME Many different perspectives of the object or person (1) are captured on a series of cameras arranged in an arc or circle That information is processed (2) and sent through a computer link. It could conceivably be sent anywhere in the world The 3D holographic printing system (3) receives the … Read more
Brand Loyalty in the Age of Social Media
Businesses chasing brand loyalty in their customers is nothing new, but the way they’re doing it may be. In these days of digital communication and smartphones, many companies are utilizing Social Media and emerging technologies to expand their marketing strategies. Facebook‘s “Like” button is all over the Web, email subscriptions abound on every blog imaginable, … Read more
Expedia on how one extra data field can cost $12m
Online travel firm Expedia has found that data analytics can deliver a multi-million dollar kick to a company’s bottom line. The company used SAS analytics to identify a single change to a web page that generated an overnight surge in sales, Expedia’s VP of global analytics and optimisation Joe Megibow told the SAS Premier Business … Read more
